Early days yet but i am predicting a Kerry/Mayo All Ireland final. Mayo on the easier side of the draw will have tough preparation for kerry with game against tyrone or donegal. With their professional back room team will have them prepared for the third week in september. Kerry should prevail against the dubs who struggle with loss of Ross O'Carroll. The have a promosing minor team coming through and a fullyfit Gouch and James O'Donoghue. However this will be Mayo year. Mayo 1-15 Kerry 1-10

ALL Ireland Winner-Kerry
League Champions-Mayo
Ulster-Tyrone
Connacht-Mayo
Leinster-Dublin
Munster-Kerry

WilliePower12 (Australia) - Posts: 25 - 12/01/2016 10:49:16    1815990

Stick to BBQ my friend as your crystal ball is broken , cant take any prediction serious that refers to an easier side of the draw as that doesn't exist ,
Having said that picking two of the top four counties to fight out the final is brave

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 12/01/2016 11:00:39    1815993

That's it so lads.. Willie speaks.. he has it down to a tee.. No need for anyone else

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 12/01/2016 11:03:15    1815996

Dublin have won three All-Ireland's without Ross O'Carroll so I'm not sure how much we'll miss him now to be honest.

Rory, on the other hand…..

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13724 - 12/01/2016 11:06:39    1815997

Damn, why did i renew my season ticket?! Clearly no point in having it this year as we're not going to make the final.

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 12/01/2016 11:57:18    1816015

Ross O'Carroll.
Professional backroom team.

windup.com

Decent attempt though

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/01/2016 12:00:23    1816016

Mayo could get into the final again. They are on the ulster side of the draw. Kerry and dublin will play in the other semi, provided there is a massive shock.

I think tyrone will have a big say this year. Mayo have been knocking and they must be fed up of knocking at this stage. Donegal are perhaps set for another good year, but there is a bit of chopping and changing with the squad already, plus disruption with a squad member. I dont know a thing about galway, but doubt if they can muster a team from the clouds, nor cork for that mater.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 12/01/2016 13:02:42    1816038

However this will be Mayo year. Mayo 1-15 Kerry 1-10

ALL Ireland Winner-Kerry
League Champions-Mayo
Ulster-Tyrone
Connacht-Mayo
Leinster-Dublin
Munster-Kerry

WilliePower12 (Australia) - Posts:12 - 12/01/2016 10:49:16 1


something not quite right there , Willie

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 12/01/2016 13:12:57    1816040

Kerry v Mayo final?

I'll take that if past encounters are anything to go by!

But, its a big big statement to be installing Mayo as guaranteed All Ireland finalists and not a ball kicked in the League yet.

This group has been on the road since 2011 that's a lot of miles on the clock with no All Ireland medal to show for it.

And to be fair they havn't exactly brought in much new blood these past few years, its still the same core of players they are looking to the whole time.

They also just don't have the forwards. I know Mayo people are sick of hearing it but its true. O'Connor can not win the All Ireland by himself even the Gooch and Connolly have quality all around them.

Look, if this group of players finally manages it they will go down as perhaps the most resilient, dedicated team any county has seen.

But for me its obvious watching them over the last 4-5 years that they just don't have that x factor to get them over the line.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 12/01/2016 13:24:39    1816045

Mayo definitely good enough to win the All-Ireland Hermit imo. I don't agree with the consensus about them not having the X-factor or marquee forward.

They were very close under James Horan and even last year whilst things weren't great in the camp they still took the eventual champions to a replay. in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 they have been beaten by the winners. Twice bringing the champs to a replay. Things could well fall into place for them in 2016 with the new man at the helm.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13724 - 12/01/2016 14:59:49    1816070

This tired old cliché about marquee forwards..
What marquee forwards did donegal have in 2012? Murphy - who spent most of the season out the field - and McFadden. So one marquee forward playing in the forwards. End of debate.

The fact is mayo have gotten within a point of winning the all Ireland. That alone disproves this notion that they cant win it because they don't have certain players. A point is the break of a ball. A funny thing about that game; Keith Higgins had a shot ruled as wide by hawk-eye, everyone in the stadium thought it was over. Pre-Hawkeye it would have counted, I have no doubt. Just the breaks, nothing to do with marquee forwards, or backs for that matter.

The reality is you just need whatever works.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/01/2016 15:26:53    1816082

But that's just it TheMaster, it hasn't worked for Mayo. They have failed time and time again. Recounting a wide that should have been given as a point is ridiculous as there are hundreds of calls made in any game which ultimately affect the outcome, that's the nature of sport and you can't hide behind that as an excuse. Ifs and buts are a pointless exercise. Mayo have had their chances and simply put haven't been good enough to do it, there's no other reason or excuse. That's the undeniable fact. Why they weren't good enough is up for debate, be it forwards etc.

Rocky.Road (Galway) - Posts: 374 - 12/01/2016 17:13:06    1816114

Kerry won't get passed Dublin if they meet in the Semi.

Mayo could beat Dublin though.

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 12/01/2016 17:17:20    1816117

It actually was rightly signalled as a wide. But the point is hawk-eye being introduced that year had nothing to do with marquee forwards. Sometimes you just need a break. Look at Dublin for example. Got the rub of the green in 2011 when they looked like they had let it away from them - in a very mayo-esque fashion. Went from strength to strength from there with the once they got the win. Marquee forwards had nothing to do with the turnaround in 2011. Could it be the case that that win, gave guys belief and thus they became 'marquee forwards' on the back of that win? It is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. When do guys become marquee players? When they win? What if they got a bit of luck to win?

This belief that winning is what counts and is standalone is flawed - it is bar-stool stuff. Winning is the result of a process. All top coaches will tell you that.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/01/2016 18:05:45    1816132

Mayo won't win it, they just don't have the core inner belief and mental toughness to get over the line. It's the same group of players who have been around for a few years and they are certainly good enough and physically strong enough but they have demons that sit on their shoulder who shout "DOUBT" and spook them just when they have one hand on SAM. Cork are the same. Tyrone might gallop up on the rails this year and surprise people, they are a coming force again.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9719 - 12/01/2016 19:16:17    1816156

The Master , the fact is you look at Mayo in isolation and not at the chances the other teams missed or decisions that went against them, you conveniantly forget that Mayo got a penalty that shouldnt have been given to get back into our first drawn game this year.
In All Ireland final of 2013 ye were no where near worth just a 1 point beaten, we had 2 guys who couldnt move and still we should of won by more.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 12/01/2016 21:35:52    1816198

Ifs and buts and if only and one point defeats.. The fact is as stated above Mayo have never been good enough, not since 51. I believe that most All Ireland winning teams always have had marquee forwards. or lets say a dominant forward who shines on the big stage and other players play off him. Think Brogan, Gooch, Canavan, Murphy, p Joyce. They have all preformed highly on the big day. I would Say Cillian O Connor is Mayos biggest threat mostly from placed balls, and would be their marquee forward, but it hasn't happened for him in finals, Take him out of the equation and they are in serious trouble..

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 13/01/2016 10:25:36    1816244

Ulsterman

Cork are not the same as Mayo. There are completely different dynamics behind the scenes.

Look at last year, Mayo players are not happy with their manager. The county board move quickly to appoint one of the best club managers in the country. New manager picks his own selection team and everbody moves along happy.

Cork: If players are not happy, they now know that they must just put up with it or we will have another Gerald McCarthy situation. This year the management team left and the best person for the job pulled out of the race until eventually they picked somebody with no experience- he coaches junior B with Gkengarriffe and also a former selector. They will also choose the selectors and they will give the team quarter of the funding that other county teams get. And nobody here really cares anyway. We got hammered by Kildare last year and the players didn't seem to care and only about 100 Cork people attended so support don't care either.

mayo and cork are not similar. Anyway despite above wwvhave one ai and three league this decade

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 13/01/2016 12:24:34    1816292

The Master, you're saying what marquee forwards did Donegal have? You mention McFadden and Murphy.

You've answered the question! A goal each inside the first 10 minutes in the All Ireland final of 2012. That's the difference right there and Sam Maguire delivered. Dublin have that. Kerry have that. Mayo have to prove they have big day finishers.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1322 - 14/01/2016 17:39:29    1816694

Donegal_abroad , yes Im aware I answered it - they had 1 'marquee forward' playing in the forwards. Murphy was back the field.

Mayo have one also...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 14/01/2016 17:53:18    1816698